THE "OMAGH MYSTERY."

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 7

THE "OMAGH MYSTERY."

• MR. EXTRICAN'S RECOLLECTION'S. Some interesting facts in connection with the "Omagh Mystery," the remarkable Irish crime dealt with* recently in the "Star" supplement, were given to a "Star" reporter this morning, by Mr. A. J. Entrican. of Auckland, who was a boy when the affair happened, and well remembers the great s-iisi\ticn the trial made. The murderer was a man named Montgomery, a sub-inspactcr of police, and his victim was a bank cashier I named Glasse. Mr. Entrican supple- ■ n ents the very interesting account of i the affair given by Mr. Justice Parry, ' and tells of the rather remarkable manner in which the stolen money Was : found. Near the village where the crime i was committed there was a sort of ditch ever which there was a rough bridge or causeway. Going along to work one ' morning, a farm hand made a "swish" I'nd'-r the bridge with a sickle he was (arryin-2, and said to his companion. "Many a rabl-it I have got frcm under tie el" Ouite unknown to himself the chance .wing of the sickle had cut the land that was round the notes. The i noies'ithui- freed were afterwards washed i down t'.:e ditch and were found scattered : about, and that led to the diseoverr of the rest of the stolen property. i Mcngomery was tried three times beI foie ;> jury could agree upon a verdict—- : which in the end was "guuty"—but in spite cf the strain the man must have been under, his professional instincts i appear to have been stronger than his; dread. x or Mr. Entrican tells how i Montar- >■!-,- expressed surprife that the! police had n: t noticed how he carried j ll c mc ney away without being seen, and then he explained bow it was doneWhen he wtjnt to the bank Montgomery was wearing a big waterproof coat. He pinned the bottoms the sleeves so as j to make rf the arms a 'sort of pocket.! in which he siufl'ed the .notes, and his appearance did not attract any particular notice. Mr. Entrican was born within five mips of the Tyrone village ' v,lore the crime was committed, and his father was on the jury that eventually found Montgomery guilty. It was a man named Entrican who saw Mont- . i-omerv coming out of the bank alter , he had' Committed the murder, but he _ was cp rcl :tion to Mr. Entrican's family, f The ria-me is a very lincomnion one, ■ However, and-Mr. Entrican says he never met it'onts'de his own family except in the case of this witness in the famous I Oaiagh mystery. j .........